Power-transmitting device.



E. E. BUTLER.

POWER TRANSMITTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. I.. I912.

Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

3 SHEETSSHEET I.

- N QNBN 6W1, 8 QM wi/lmemo COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co. WASHINGTON. n. c.

E. E. BUTLER.

POWER TRANSMITTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT-1.1912.

Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

3 SHEETS$HEET 2- un/ Menu COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH co.. WASHINGTON, D. g-

E. E. BUTLER.

POWER TRANSMITTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 1. 1912.

Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH $0.. WASHINGTON D C EDWARD n. Bur Ea or CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE.

" rownn-traeits viirrme DEViCE.

spciflwetiion f letters at n Patentedlhu 1t), 1915.

Application fiied octobcr 1 1912. Serial No. 723,272.

To all 107mm it may concern: 4

Be it known that LEo vAnD EMBUrL citizen ofthe United States, and resident of Chattanooga, county of Hamilton, and State I of Tennessee, have invented an Improvement in Powers ransmitting Devices,- of,

' by feather key to the secondary shaft and meshes into one of similar construction keyedto'the knuckle shaft, in like manner,

which the following is I a specification.

-- 'lheobject of my invention is to provide a, suitable construction of transm1ss1ongear-- .ing, to be employed, between the driving power and'the'ob ect to "be. driven, WlllCll shall havecapacity for varyingthe speed means, and controlling under thegoverning and power applied to the driven object within wide limits andunder gradual varia-- ti'ons atthe will of the operator.

Broadly stated, my invention comprehends power. transmitt ng means between the source of power andthepbject totbe.

driven, combinedwith variable speed mechanism operatedby the power transmitting influence of the operator, the speed and power of the transmitt ng gearing.

' 1 More specifically defined, my,;improves ments comprehend features which may. be

defined as follows:

The power from the engine is transmitted to the mam transmission shaft bymeans of a friction clutch, which allowsthe operator to throw the power into or out of action at will. i The main shaft, on which the clutch is located, passes through suit-able bearings andinto the gearv case and is fitted on its end; with a pinion which meshes into three compound gears equally spaced around the pinion and carried in a housing that runs freely on main and secondary shafts.

The compound or difiejrential gearing is composed of three sets of two gears each of (llffGlBnt-Cl1211D6l3EI'S, but made fast together and sets of gears of different diameters meshing into their respective pinionson the terminus of the aforesaid-,main shaft and a secondary shaft, in the differential gear case. On the hub of the housing is fitted'to and made fast a gear of suitable size to mesh into a pinion on a friction driven shaft. "The friction-driven shaftlpasses through suitable bearings and is fitted'with a sliding friction wheel and yoke located intermediate of and in diametrical 'alinement with two Qfriction disks, whichare geared to themain shaft in a manner thatrunstheniin opposite directions at a ven ratio of speed.

"The tension. of the fiiction disks against the friction driven wheel is controlled by a speciallever arrangement so constructed as to allow even and equal-pressure to be applied. to each disk shaft at the same, time. In the rear or back end of the gear case is located a pair of sliding gears, oneis. fitted My invention not only includes amechanical structure whereby animproved method of obtaining higher efficiency in a friction controlled dr ve, as. provided, but also; a wider range of VZLIlfltlOIL. 1n speed c and v power, andespecially in providing capacity for producing these variations in a very gradual manner .to suit the varying conditions under which the load'is to be operated. My invention is more fully described hereinafter and the special features of improvement are defined in the claims.

Referring to the drawings: Figure l is a side elevation of an automobile illustrating my invention as appliedthereto, byway of example; Fig. 2 IS a plan view :of my improved power transmissiongearing, suitable for use inflan automobile F1 3 1s a 1on1 tudinal sectional elevationof the same taken on line m-;r of Fig. 2; Fig 4 1s a vertical sect on through thecompound gearing and its connections; Fig. .5 is a transverse secti onaleleva-tion of the said compoundgearing taken on line yg of Fig. 4c; and Fig. 6 is a transverse section of the reverse gearing mechanism taken on line of Fig. 3. R is theengineor source of powerand transmits motionto the main driving shaft 2 through a suitableclutch A, which may be of any ordinary construction. The power transmitted by the shaft 2 is ultimately delivered to a shaft 47 which delivers power tothe knuckle shaft S through the universal coupling T, and the said knuckle shaft-employed to drive the rear driving wheels of an automobile. Fig. 1 and are given as an illustration .of'the use of my invention in connection with an automobile, but it is to be understood. that my improvements are inno was confinedtoi These partsfare shown in any particular use, andfthe improvements are more directly included between the main driving shaft2 and theodrivenshaft 17, since 'it is immaterial what the primary source ofpower may be or what the ultimatedriven objectmaybefi V j More speeifically,the transm ssion mechanismiinay' be describedas follows: The

main frame, B is provided with suitable bearings C and I, in which the main driving shaft 2 is journaled. Also journaled'in the same frame B by bearings J is a friction driven'shaft --11',"'which shaft is provided on differential gear mechanism. Upon the fric-o 1 its endwith pinion 10 meshing with a' spur wheel 9 which rotates the housing of a tiondriven-shaftll is arrangeda sliding yoke 13 and journaled in the yoke, and con nected with the shaft 11 through'a feather and "groove construction of any ordinary kind, is a frict on wheel 12, the construction being such that the said friction wheel may be moved longitudinally-along; the shaft'll i The yoke 13 is operated by a link 14 and bell crank 15, which latter may be manipulated I by any suitable lever mechanism, such as while maintaining itsconnection with the shaft soas to positively rotate the shaft.

7 shown for example in'Fig. 1. On each side i' being indicated at 16 and the other at 17,,

and in linepwith the friction wheel 12, is?

located "a friction disk, one of these'disks and said'disks press upon the opposite edges and provided with a pinion 20.

"a shaft ls which is journaled in bearings "G P on the same main frame B. The inner of the friction, wheel 12' and rotate in op-" 'positedirections, so as to simultaneously, act to rotate the friction-wheel 12. @The friction disk 16 is secured to a shaft 18 our- 7 naled in bearings O F on the main frame B V The pinion 20 meshes with a-s'purwheel 22 on v end of'this shaft 18 is secured to a bevel gear 26 which meshes with a bevel gear 28.

secured to the main driving shaft 2.; Simi- -larly, the disk 17 is secured to a shaft 19 journaled in bearings O F and is provided f with a pinion 21, said pinion 21 meshing with a ge'ar'23 on a shaft 19 which is journaled in bearingsG P and provided in its' I end wlth a bevel gear 27, also meshing with the bevel gear28 on themain driving shaft 2. It will be seen from this construction same'speeds: From this it follows that any that when'the drivingshaft 2 rotates, thetionary, but any rotary movement of these gearing, just described, will 'rotat'e' the disks 16 and '17 in opposite directions and at the Q rotation to the driving shaft 2 imparts a corresponding rotation to the friction driven shaftll, and it is preferable that the. speed 7 "of the shaft -11 will be higher than the speetl or the driving Shae- 2.

The friction disks 16 and 17 are pressed uponjthe friction wheel 12 in any suitable i .l manner, but the partlcular mechanism illusas follows:

trated byway of example, may be described 7 The shafts 18V and. 19 of the friction disks 16 and 17 are free to move lon itudinally in their bearings O F, andfthey are" operated in a direction toward eac other i y levers 29 and 30, respectively fulcr'umed at 29 and 30 on the main frame B. The opposite ends of the levers 29 and 30 are respectively connected with links 33 and bv pins 31 and 32 extending through slots in the links. These links are also provided-withsprings 81 and 32 to "hold the pins in the ends of the slots andto reach rod 39 may be operated by a foot treadle or other means. hen the toggle is operated to aline the links'35 and 36, spring pressure is applied to the levers 29 and 30 with-theresult that the disks 16 and 17 are 7 spring pressed against the periphery of the friction wheel 12. V Suitable casings D may be arranged dirt, and likewise a gear box E maybe placed about the bevel gears 26, 27 and 28.

about the gears 22 to protect them from The driving shaft 2 drives a secondary shaft 40 means of theidifferential gearing which is more-fully shown in Figs, 3', 4

and 5. On the end of the shaft 2 is secured a' pinion 3,; and upon the adjacent end of the secondary-shaft 4:0 is secured a gear 6. :This pinion 3 and gear 6 are-geared to: gether through compound gears 4 and 5 which are preferably made integrahand are journaled upon shafts i carried in the carrier frame 7 and 8 which is partly ournaled upon the shaft 2 and partly on the shaft 10;

Formechanical reasons, I prefer to provide three of the differential gears 4: and 5 ar ranged about the gears 3 and 6, as shown in Fig. 5. Secured to the frame 7 is the gear 9 to which I have before referred as being driven by the pinion 10 of the friction driven shaft 11. It will now be seen that the rotation of the shaft 2 will rotate the shaft40 ata somewhat lower speed so long parts which carries the compound gears aroundithe shafts, will vary the speedof the shaft 10 with a given speed of the shaft 2. This variation is secured by varying the speed of rotation of the frame 7 and its compound gears about the shafts 2 and 10 by means of the friction driven shaft 11,

It will be understood that while I preferto' have the gears 3 and 6 of different diameters i and. similarly, gears 4 and -5 of different diameters inversely arranged, this is not at all essential to the-broad 'principle of my inventionyas it will suffice to have the two shafts 2 and 4'0 geared together and depend solely np'onfithe speed of rotation of the gears 4 antleand the frame carrying them.

xThe secondary shaft 40 is journaled in "bearings I -and.-L"and is provided with a and similarly operated by means of a yoke 45. These two gears 41 and 42 may directly "mesh, so that the driven shaft 47 is directly rotated from the secondary shaft through these gears. To reverse the direction of Y: rotation of the driven shaft 47 Iprovide a double gear 43 journaledon a shaft '43 to one side of the shaft 40, andby the operation jof the yokes 44 and 45fby means Of?! rock shaft and lever 46, the gears 41 and 42 may be shifted so as to move out'of contact and respectively mesh with the gears 43, ,in

which case the driven shaft will be rotated in the opposite direction. This gearing constitutes a form of reverse gearing, but any other suitable reverse gearing mechanism may be. employed in lieu thereof. The re- I verse gearing and the differential gearing are incloscd in asuitabl'e case, indicated at T", Which would be employed in automobiles to, keep the dirt and dust outof the gearing. When the power is transmittedinto the main shaft. by meansof the clutch previously described, the two'disks will take up their speed in proportion to theratio of the gearing between the disks and the 11121111. shaft. The main drive pinion in the d1fferential gearing, being keyed to the terminus of the main shaft and meshing with the compound gears, drives thefraine' or planet gear carrier in a directionopposite to that of the main frame, with speed equal to the'dif- 4 p 12 will be rotating in a reverse direct1on,'as *willjalsoall members connecting with the "friction wheel nd including the carrier frame7 and 8. This being the case, the compound gears will be revolved in the same ference in ratio of the differential gears. In otherwords, if the p'lanetcarrier that car- 'ries'the compound gearsis rotated at aspeed corresponding to the ratioof the pnnons on p the main shaft and the secondary shaft, the

. secondary shaft will remain in a stationary position regardless of the speed of the main shaft, but the moment the friction "wheel is moved in from the. outer or unison position toward the center of'thedisk, the speed of the differential gear carrier is reduced in proportion to the change of ratio of the friction wheel and disk. I

If the friction wheel 12 i brought to a central position on the disks 16 and 1.7, all members connecting with the friction wheel, and hence the housing 7 and f the compound gears, will be stationary, and the gears 4 and 5 will run as i'dlers on stationary bearings, and at this time the power will be transmitted from shaft '2 to shaft'40 at a. speed ratio of about 4 to 5. If the friction wheel 12 is moved to theextreme 'ontertposig t-ion (Figs. 2 and 3), the speed of the car 'rie'rof the compound gears 'w-ill become equal tothe speed due to the ratio of the speeds of the shafts 2 and 40, and the transmission of power will be through the main shaft 2 to the pinion 3' and compound gears 4 and 5, and thence to shaft 40; and this will be modified or controlled by power transmitted from the main shaft 2 through the disks 16 and .17, the friction wheel '12, its shaft 11, the pinion 10, gear 9 and carrier frames7 and 8 which carry the compound gears 4 and 5 about the shafts, and under which condition, the secondary shaft 40 may be brought to a condition of rest. If the friction Wheel is moved in anyintermediate positions over the disks so as to dr ve the carrier frame 7 and 8 at speeds 1ntermediate of a condition of rest and maximum speed, it will decrease the possible maximum speed of the secondary shaft in proportion as the friction wheel and its shaft "11 are increased in speed. If the friction wheel 12 is shifted to drive the carrier frame 7 and 8 at a speed greater than the speed ratio of the shaft 2 andsecondary shaft 40 with the carrier frame at rest, the secondary shaft would rotate in opposite direction to the main shaft 2; but if the friction wheel is shifted to the edge of the 7 disks'to make the ratio of the shafts 2 and 40 unity (when the friction wheel is runningat its highest speed) the secondary shaft 40 will be at rest or zero, and will increase in speed in the same direction, as the main shaft 2 is running in proportion to the decrease of speed of the friction wheel, and this will continue until the center of the disks 16 and '17 are passed by the friction hee 5 v From the center of the disks 16 and 17 to the inside limit of travel, the friction wheel direction as the shaft 2, and the secondary changes may be performed in so gradual manner that no shock or jar will come upon the machinery or the occupants of the automobile in case the mechanism is employed therefor;

While I have shown my improvements in faipractical construction adapted for automobiles, I do not restrict myself in any manner to these details, as they maybe modified in various ways without departing from the LE spirit of the invention;

Havingnow describedmy invention, what I'olann as new and desireto secure bywLetters Patent,v.is v I 1. In a powertransmitting mechanism the combination of a driving shaft, a driven ,shaft, differentiali gearing between the shafts having a rotatable carrier, a friction shaft out of alinernentwith the driving shaft but parallel to it, gearing between the friction shaftand the carrier for rotating the latter, a friction wheel rotating with. the

friction shaft and adjustable longitudinally thereonand above the driven shaft, two

friction disksrespectively on opposite sides I of the friction wheel and rotating in opposite directions for rotating the frictlonwheel, said disks having shafts atright angles towthe friction shaftand ina different plane from that of the driving shaft, gearing between the shafts oflth'e friction disks and the vdriving shaft whereby they are 'rotated,hand controlled means for forcing the disks into close frictional contact with the friction wheel, and hand controlled. means for adjusting'the position of the friction V wheel alongthe friction shaft andbetween the disks forvarying the rotation :of'the friction shaft and the carrier of the differential g earing, ,whereby the driven shaft may be rotated at various speeds from' a constant speed of the driving shaft. I

2. In a power transmitting mechanismthe combination of a driving. shaft, a driven shaft, difierential gearing between the shafts I having a rotatable carrier,-a friction shaft s located; adjacent said driving shaft, gearing between said frictionshaft' and said carrier operableby said friction shaft for rotating said carrier, a friction wheel mounted for V rotation'with said friction shaftand adjustable longitudinally thereon 'two friction" disks respectivelyion opposite sides of said friction wheel and adapted torotate said wheel by frictional contact, gearing between the respective shafts of said friction disks and the driving shaft'arranged to rotate i said disks in, opposite directions, means o operable at wlll. for varyingthe frictional 'contactiof said disks with saidQfrictioi1 wheel, and means for ZLdJUStlllgiihG positionof said friction wheel :upon its shaft and beco i ieslof this ast may be obtained for unto set my hand.

Em et n: BUT ER;

I unea tween saiddisks for varying the rotational speed 'of the frictionshaft andthe carrier of the differential gearing, whereby the driven shaft may be'rotated at various speeds while "the speed of the driving shaft remains con stantQ v v a t 3. Inv a power transm tt ng mechanism,

the combination of a drivingshaft, a driven shaft, differential gearing'betwe 'en the shafts having a rotatable carrier,'a friction shaft J located ad acent said ,drlving shaft,gear1ng s between sa d friction shaft and saidcarrier operable by said friction shaft for rotating' said carrler, 1a friction wheel mounted for rotation wlth said frictlon shaft, twoifric-v 1 tion disks respectively on opposite sidesof" said: friction wheel and adapted, to rotate said wheel by frictionalconta'ct, gearing between the respective' shafts of said friction disks and the driving shaft arranged to rotate said disks in opposite directions, and

means :for. adjusting" the position of, said friction wheel between said disks for varying the rotationalspeed' of the friction shaft and the carrier ofthe differential gearing,

whereby thedriven shaft may be rotated at various speeds whilethe speed of the drivshaf t remains constant. r

4. In aj power transmitting mechanism,

the combination of a driving shaft, a driven shaft, differential gearing between the shafts having a rotatable carrier, a friction shaft located adjacent said driving shaft, gear ng between said friction shaft andfs aid carrier operated by said, friction shaft for rotating said carrier, a frictionwheel moi'inted' on said friction "shaft, two friction diskslre-l spectively on oppositesides of said friction wheel and adapted 'tforotate said wheel by frictional contact, gearing between the respective shafts of said friction disks and the drivingishaftarranged to rotate said disks in opposite directions and at a differ ent speed than the speed of'sai'd driving shaft, and means to 'shiftsaid "friction wheel relative to said disks to vary the angular V velocity of 7 said friction shaft and said rotatable carrier, whereby the driven shaft may be rotated atvarious speeds while the 'speed of the driving shaft remains constant.

In testimony ofrwhioh invention, I here- WVitnsses: I e

RJ. CRIMMINS,

, C. D. RnnM'oNn.

five centsieach, by adhessing'the Commissioner of Patents, I Washington,1).O." i I Y ioo 

